Folding rack for beds



Oct. 17, 1961 J. E. PESOLA 3,004,267

FOLDING RACK FOR BEDS Filed Dec. 29, 1959 FIG. K M. A

]i% 71 i 32 32 i ,30 2 Q} 28 ,.L i 24 INVENTOR JEANNETTE E. PESOLA MffyATTORNEY atent This invention relates to a new and improved folding ofholding the bed-clothing while the bed is being made a up, etc.

It is one of the principal objects of the present invention to providesuch a rack, which is foldable in a manner to be completely hidden awayunder the bed, but which at the same time is easily extended out fromunder the bed to fold into upright vertical condition to accomplish thepurposes aforesaid.

Another object of the invention resides in the pro vision of a foldablerack as above described which may be applied to a bed to the framethereof, or to the bed slats, or to the parts of a box frame mattresssupport or the like, so that it is seen that the rack may be applied tothe bed either by the house-holder or it may be applied to an innerspring box frame by the manufacturer and the unit sold withthe rackattached.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly set forth inthe appended claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation showing the foot of a bed with therack attached thereto in folded condition;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the rack in partly extended and infully extended conditions;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the bed illustrat- 7 ing thebracket for holding the rack and showing the rack extended;

FIG. 4 is a similar view but showing the rack completely folded;

FIG. 5 is a detail view showing one form of latch for the rack to holdit extended;

FIG. 6 is a view in elevation, looking in the direction of arrows 6 inFIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing details of the folding rackstructure.

In carrying out the present invention, the same has been illustrated asapplied to the cross-pieces of a box spring and in the illustrationherein, this rack could therefore be sold originally as a unit with thebox spring or sold and attached separately. However, it is emphasizedthat the invention contemplates many other supports for the rack limitedonly by the fact that the rack must be secured to the bed in some way,whether to the spring frame for the mattress, to the bed frame itself,or in some other relationship. Also, it is to be understood that thefolding rack should be completely concealed when it is folded under bedbut that it is easily extended to an upright position preferably at thefoot of the bed, but also at the side of the bed if desired, and itshould be high enough to provide for adequate support of for instancethe bedspread while the bed is occupied and also to hold other clothing,etc. as desired.

In any event, in the drawing an ordinary mattress is shown at 10 and aninner or box spring covered mattress support at 12. Holding the mattresssupport or box spring 12 from the floor, there may be provided Hollywoodlegs which can be secured to the box frame at the 3,004,267 PatentedOct. 17, 1961 ice under side thereof, or there may be utilized a framesuch as a Harvard frame generally indicated at 14. Secured underneaththe bed in any desired position but as for instance to the cross-slats16 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the box spring 12, there are provided a pair ofbrackets generally indicated at 18, these brackets being spaced apartany distance desired for the width of the rack. As shown in FIG. 1, thisspacing is adequate for a double bed and may also be used in a singlebed, but in the single bed the rack is almost as wide as the bed itself.

The brackets 18 may take any form desired but in the present case it ispreferred that they should be pro,- vided with elongated bearingelements for the sliding reception of sliding rods 20. These slidingrods are adequately held against fiexure by means or the elongatedhearings or brackets 18 as clearly shown in FIGS. 3" and 4, and they maybe moved between the extreme condi tions as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

If desired, the rods 20' may be secured together by some means at theirrear ends in order to form a stop so that they Will not be pulledcompletely out of the bearings. This stop may take the form of any kindof collar or a cross-rod 19, see FIG. 4. Also, these rods if desired maybe secured together at the forward portions of the brackets as indicatedat 22. The member 22 is not needed in all cases but it serves as astiffening means for the rack and also performs the function of a stopfor the FIG. 4 position of the rack and as a handle. In all cases itwill be seen that brackets 18, rods 20, 22, etc. are placed well abovethe floor line regardless of whether brackets 18 are secured to the bedframe, or the mattress frame or box spring.

The forward end of each rod 20, or the corresponding ends of cross-rod22, are provided with hinges or swivels for folding extension memberswhich are generally indicated at 24. These members should be relativelystrong and can be easily made of aluminum channels or the like. Thelower end of members 24 are pivoted as at 26 and may take any formdesired or the members 24 may be pivoted on hinges. In any event,members 24 comprise at least two parts joined together as by centralhinges 28 and it is to be noted from FIG. 1 that when folded downwardly,these hinges 28 overlap each other. This is for the purpose of providingvertical length enough for the folding members 24 in order to cause theupper ends thereof to rise to a convenient position for the desiredpurpose of holding the bedclothes, etc.

The ends of folding members 24 are secured together by a cross-bar 30which is preferably in the form of a tube or the like, and they arejoined thereto as by hinges 32 or other pivot means. This member 24forms the actual support for the bedclothes or other clothing, etc.,which may be draped thereover when the rack is extended in the full-lineposition as shown in FIG. 2.

It has been found that ordinary hinges used at 28 and 32 and pivot 26rigidify the folding rack to such an extent that no other rigidifyingmeans is needed. However, some kind of latch should be utilized at thehinges 28 in order to keep these hinges in their extended condition asin full lines in FIG. 2. This latch can take any form as for instancepins, snaps, clips or a snap-button of the type shown in FIGS. 5 and 6at 34, taking into an opening 36 in an extension 38 in one of the armsof the folding members 24 as is clearly shown therein. It is to beunderstood, however, that this is merely illustrative, and sliding orother latch means may be utilized.

When the rack is folded in the FIG. 1 position, it may be moved in underthe foot of the bed as shown in FIG. 4, and the brackets 18 provide thesliding bearings for rods 20 to be spaced from the lower surface of thebed to such an extent that the cross-rod 30 will move in under frame 14without touching the same but in close association therewith. As seen inFIG. 4, the entire rack is completely concealed but the operator maymerely bend down and grasp cross-rod 22 or other part of the rack, pullit forwardly to the FIG. 3 position, and then grasp the cross-rod 30 andbring the same up into its uppermost position, see the solid lineshowing of FIG. 2, whereupon the same is fully extended and ready foruse. The entire device is just as easily re-folded by releasing thelatches, folding members 24 and moving the same inwardly toward eachother in their overlapped condition as shown in FIG.

1. Then the entire rack is moved inwardly under the bed in the FIG. 4position.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claim, but "what I claim is:

A folding rack for attachment to a bed frame comprising a pair ofbrackets, means attaching the brackets to the bed under the framedepending therefrom, a rod slidable horizontally in each bracket, saidrods being parallel, 7 means connecting said rods, the means connectingsaid rods comprising an extensible rack means, said extensible rackmeans including a pair'of folding members hingedly associated with saidrods at the corresponding ends thereof, a cross-top member securing saidfolding members together at the ends thereof opposite said rods, saidcrosstop member being hingedly associated with said folding extensiblerack members, and means yieldably maintaining the latter in extendedcondition thereof, the motion of the rack being vertical and at rightangles to the rods, and said brackets spacing the sliding rods from theunderneath side of the bed a distance greater than the folded height ofthe rack so that the rack when folded down is slidable underneath thebed and does not interfere with the same when retracted to its foldedposition under the bed.

References Cited in the file of thispatent I UNITED STATES PATENTS KeckApr. 22, 1952

